HARO BIKES

Well, do you remember when cycling was black and white? I guess its fairly obvious that I do as this photograph (courtesy of Glasgow Museums) proves...

Getting your first bike right is an important founding principle in establishing cycling as a lifetime habit and I will be forever grateful to my parents for not saddling me with a two wheeler that weighed in alongside a Honda Goldwing with a set of brakes that required the forearm strength of Martina Navratilova to operate. At Mike's Bikes we are able to match bike to rider needs from our stock of childrens' bikes supplied by top manufacturers Raleigh, Dawes and Merida. Its not too early to be thinking about Christmas (the Christmas Savings Club is now open) and with stocks diminishing as the big day approaches its always reassuring to have your model of choice pre-ordered. To cope with the growing demands of the younger generation all our 2009/10 bikes come in colour! 

Despite his penchant for rock music and beanie hats its been a long time since Mike has been accused of being part of the "younger generation". Perhaps this is why he was to be seen riding a grey bike on grey day at Auchentoshan last Sunday though there was so much mud around it wouldn't have mattered what colour his Raleigh U6X was. An account of the race has already appeared in "Trench Warfare!! 2009 cross season commences" so that allows me time to describe in detail the balletic dismount he performed for an admiring audience of father, daughter and blogger immediately before the start of the race. Picture the scene - a short steep downhill onto a tarmac section with a small kerb between the road and a section of muddy grass. A gentle controlled descent, safe transition onto the tarmac, the kerb approaches and Mike lifts the front wheel (custom built at Mike's Bikes!) over the kerb. The front wheel sinks into the mud, the momentum carries the rest of the bike forward and Mike completes a graceful, slow motion dismount over the handlebars. The crowd cheers!

Is a repeat perfromance too much to hope for at this week's race at Mugdock Country Park, Milngavie?

I've been invited to join former colleagues from the Temple of Doom on a trans Alp Geneva-Nice cycle ride following in the cycle tracks of Sammy and Digger (2008) and the Glenmore Lodge contingent (2009). I was discussing the route with a regular customer, henceforth to be known as the Glenmore Mole, who charitably described Phil the Spill's fall in the Alps as "probably a good thing" - not that I'd want to stir things up at all!

And speaking of Sammy, like swallows in winter he's off to sunnier climes to do his cycling in Spain joined by Cairngorm Cycling Club regular Pete Bennet. Also doing his cycling in Spain at the moment is Pete M. - guys, you could have saved a fortune riding at home in the new range of Altura winter cycling kit in stock at Mike's Bikes!